[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 792 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 792
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit taking minors across
State lines in circumvention of laws requiring the involvement of
parents in abortion decisions.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 2, 2023
Mr. Johnson of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. Babin, Mr. Clyde, Mr. Gaetz,
Mr. Duncan, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Arrington, Mr. Bishop of North
Carolina, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Ellzey, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr.
Aderholt, Mr. Estes, Mr. Allen, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Kelly of
Mississippi, and Mr. Lamborn) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit taking minors across
State lines in circumvention of laws requiring the involvement of
parents in abortion decisions.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Child Interstate Abortion
Notification Act''.
SEC. 2. TRANSPORTATION OF MINORS IN CIRCUMVENTION OF CERTAIN LAWS
RELATING TO ABORTION.
Title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter
117 the following:
``CHAPTER 117A--TRANSPORTATION OF MINORS IN CIRCUMVENTION OF CERTAIN
LAWS RELATING TO ABORTION
``Sec.
``2431. Transportation of minors in circumvention of certain laws
relating to abortion.
``2432. Transportation of minors in circumvention of certain laws
relating to abortion.
``Sec. 2431. Transportation of minors in circumvention of certain laws
relating to abortion
``(a) Offense.--
``(1) Generally.--Except as provided in subsection (b),
whoever knowingly transports a minor across a State line, with
the intent that such minor obtain an abortion, and thereby in
fact abridges the right of a parent under a law requiring
parental involvement in a minor's abortion decision, in force
in the State where the minor resides, shall be fined under this
title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
``(2) Definition.--For the purposes of this subsection, an
abridgement of the right of a parent occurs if an abortion is
performed or induced on the minor, in a State or a foreign
nation other than the State where the minor resides, without
the parental consent or notification, or the judicial
authorization, that would have been required by that law had
the abortion been performed in the State where the minor
resides.
``(b) Exceptions.--
``(1) The prohibition of subsection (a) does not apply if
the abortion was necessary to save the life of the minor
because her life was endangered by a physical disorder,
physical injury, or physical illness, including a life
endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the
pregnancy itself.
``(2) A minor transported in violation of this section, and
any parent of that minor, may not be prosecuted or sued for a
violation of this section, a conspiracy to violate this
section, or an offense under section 2 or 3 of this title based
on a violation of this section.
``(c) Affirmative Defense.--It is an affirmative defense to a
prosecution for an offense, or to a civil action, based on a violation
of this section that the defendant--
``(1) reasonably believed, based on information the
defendant obtained directly from a parent of the minor, that
before the minor obtained the abortion, the parental consent or
notification took place that would have been required by the
law requiring parental involvement in a minor's abortion
decision, had the abortion been performed in the State where
the minor resides; or
``(2) was presented with documentation showing with a
reasonable degree of certainty that a court in the minor's
State of residence waived any parental notification required by
the laws of that State, or otherwise authorized that the minor
be allowed to procure an abortion.
``(d) Civil Action.--Any parent who suffers harm from a violation
of subsection (a) may obtain appropriate relief in a civil action
unless the parent has committed an act of incest with the minor subject
to subsection (a).
``(e) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section--
``(1) the term `abortion' means the use or prescription of
any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or
device--
``(A) to intentionally kill the unborn child of a
woman known to be pregnant; or
``(B) to intentionally prematurely terminate the
pregnancy of a woman known to be pregnant, with an
intention other than to increase the probability of a
live birth or of preserving the life or health of the
child after live birth, or to remove a dead unborn
child;
``(2) the term `law requiring parental involvement in a
minor's abortion decision' means a law--
``(A) requiring, before an abortion is performed on
a minor, either--
``(i) the notification to, or consent of, a
parent of that minor; or
``(ii) proceedings in a State court; and
``(B) that does not provide as an alternative to
the requirements described in subparagraph (A)
notification to or consent of any person or entity who
is not described in that subparagraph;
``(3) the term `minor' means an individual who is not older
than the maximum age requiring parental notification or
consent, or proceedings in a State court, under the law
requiring parental involvement in a minor's abortion decision;
``(4) the term `parent' means--
``(A) a parent or guardian;
``(B) a legal custodian; or
``(C) a person standing in loco parentis who has
care and control of the minor, and with whom the minor
regularly resides, who is designated by the law
requiring parental involvement in the minor's abortion
decision as a person to whom notification, or from whom
consent, is required; and
``(5) the term `State' includes the District of Columbia
and any commonwealth, possession, or other territory of the
United States, and any Indian tribe or reservation.
``Sec. 2432. Transportation of minors in circumvention of certain laws
relating to abortion
``Notwithstanding section 2431(b)(2), whoever has committed an act
of incest with a minor and knowingly transports the minor across a
State line with the intent that such minor obtain an abortion, shall be
fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
For the purposes of this section, the terms `State', `minor', and
`abortion' have, respectively, the definitions given those terms in
section 2435.''.
SEC. 3. CHILD INTERSTATE ABORTION NOTIFICATION.
Title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter
117A the following:
``CHAPTER 117B--CHILD INTERSTATE ABORTION NOTIFICATION
``Sec.
``2435. Child interstate abortion notification.
``Sec. 2435. Child interstate abortion notification
``(a) Offense.--
``(1) Generally.--A physician who knowingly performs or
induces an abortion on a minor in violation of the requirements
of this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned
not more than one year, or both.
``(2) Parental notification.--A physician who performs or
induces an abortion on a minor who is a resident of a State
other than the State in which the abortion is performed must
provide, or cause his or her agent to provide, at least 24
hours actual notice to a parent of the minor before performing
the abortion. If actual notice to such parent is not
accomplished after a reasonable effort has been made, at least
24 hours constructive notice must be given to a parent before
the abortion is performed.
``(b) Exceptions.--The notification requirement of subsection
(a)(2) does not apply if--
``(1) the abortion is performed or induced in a State that
has, in force, a law requiring parental involvement in a
minor's abortion decision and the physician complies with the
requirements of that law;
``(2) the physician is presented with documentation showing
with a reasonable degree of certainty that a court in the
minor's State of residence has waived any parental notification
required by the laws of that State, or has otherwise authorized
that the minor be allowed to procure an abortion;
``(3) the minor declares in a signed written statement that
she is the victim of sexual abuse, neglect, or physical abuse
by a parent, and, before an abortion is performed on the minor,
the physician notifies the authorities specified to receive
reports of child abuse or neglect by the law of the State in
which the minor resides of the known or suspected abuse or
neglect;
``(4) the abortion is necessary to save the life of the
minor because her life was endangered by a physical disorder,
physical injury, or physical illness, including a life
endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the
pregnancy itself, but an exception under this paragraph does
not apply unless the attending physician or an agent of such
physician, within 24 hours after completion of the abortion,
notifies a parent in writing that an abortion was performed on
the minor and of the circumstances that warranted invocation of
this paragraph; or
``(5) the minor is physically accompanied by a person who
presents the physician or his agent with documentation showing
with a reasonable degree of certainty that he or she is in fact
the parent of that minor.
``(c) Civil Action.--Any parent who suffers harm from a violation
of subsection (a) may obtain appropriate relief in a civil action
unless the parent has committed an act of incest with the minor subject
to subsection (a).
``(d) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section--
``(1) the term `abortion' means the use or prescription of
any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or
device--
``(A) to intentionally kill the unborn child of a
woman known to be pregnant; or
``(B) to intentionally prematurely terminate the
pregnancy of a woman known to be pregnant, with an
intention other than to increase the probability of a
live birth or of preserving the life or health of the
child after live birth, or to remove a dead unborn
child;
``(2) the term `actual notice' means the giving of written
notice directly, in person, by the physician or any agent of
the physician;
``(3) the term `constructive notice' means notice that is
given by certified mail, return receipt requested, restricted
delivery to the last known address of the person being
notified, with delivery deemed to have occurred 48 hours
following noon on the next day subsequent to mailing on which
regular mail delivery takes place, days on which mail is not
delivered excluded;
``(4) the term `law requiring parental involvement in a
minor's abortion decision' means a law--
``(A) requiring, before an abortion is performed on
a minor, either--
``(i) the notification to, or consent of, a
parent of that minor; or
``(ii) proceedings in a State court; and
``(B) that does not provide as an alternative to
the requirements described in subparagraph (A)
notification to or consent of any person or entity who
is not described in that subparagraph;
``(5) the term `minor' means an individual who has not
attained the age of 18 years and who is not emancipated under
the law of the State in which the minor resides;
``(6) the term `parent' means--
``(A) a parent or guardian;
``(B) a legal custodian; or
``(C) a person standing in loco parentis who has
care and control of the minor, and with whom the minor
regularly resides,
as determined by State law;
``(7) the term `physician' means a doctor of medicine
legally authorized to practice medicine by the State in which
such doctor practices medicine, or any other person legally
empowered under State law to perform an abortion; and
``(8) the term `State' includes the District of Columbia
and any commonwealth, possession, or other territory of the
United States, and any Indian tribe or reservation.''.
SEC. 4. CLERICAL AMENDMENT.
The table of chapters at the beginning of part I of title 18,
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to
chapter 117 the following new items:
``117A. Transportation of minors in circumvention of certain 2431
laws relating to abortion.
``117B. Child interstate abortion notification.............. 2435''.
SEC. 5. SEVERABILITY AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
(a) The provisions of this Act shall be severable. If any provision
of this Act, or any application thereof, is found unconstitutional,
that finding shall not affect any provision or application of the Act
not so adjudicated.
(b) This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect
45 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
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